Aviation and Foreign Policy

Max Grover (2012)

Educational Goals

When I started last fall at Purdue University, I thought aviation was the only subject I had an interest in studying further, but after two semesters of this conservatory-like education, I realized that aviation on its own was not enough for me. I needed more intellectual challenge and I needed to study something that would let me make my mark on the world; when I saw the BDIC program here at the University of Massachusetts, I knew my transfer to the University of Massachusetts was inevitable. All these factors somehow came together like a puzzle to reveal that I would combine my passion of aviation with the incredibly pertinent study of foreign policy to give me insight to some of the world’s hot topic issues and conflicts. Through my major I hope to gain an in depth knowledge of the science, law, and history of United States foreign policy. In addition, I will pursue the study of aviation through independent study courses at Northampton Airport, obtaining my Commercial Pilot – Multi Engine Land as well as Certified Flight Instructor-Instrument and Multi Engine. Through the two realms of my study, I will connect what I have learned in each to realize how incredibly important aviation is in modern foreign policy and the role it plays in affecting the decisions of policy makers. I plan to focus my studies on some of the foreign policy hot spots around the globe such as the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa. One area I really want to dive into is security policy and the current and future implications of terrorism (where aviation is a foremost issue). It may seem like the Political Science major would satisfy my wants, however, to truly understand a region one must not just study the political theory of the area, but also immerse themselves in the past history, the culture, the law, and the society. As such, I will be drawing the majority of my courses from the Political Science, Legal Studies, and History departments. I hope to make myself a well rounded thinker and be able to adapt myself to any situation and become a do-it-all kind of worker. I want to be able to connect information from various sources, to paint a big picture of the problem at hand, and to communicate and network with others efficiently. I believe my major in Aviation and Foreign Policy in the BDIC program will allow me to accomplish all these goals and provide an education unique to the problems I want to study.

Continuing Aims

Ever since I was a child flying with my Mother to various spots around the country, I have always admired the men up front in the cockpit, guiding the huge, somewhat ominous, flying contraptions through all weather to destinations abroad. I love the thought of waking up in one spot one morning and falling asleep that night in a destination that could be thousands of miles away. With this in mind, at some point in my career I envision myself flying for a major airline. However, I do not know if I will be immediately ready to settle down to this life. I believe while I am young and productive, I need to give back to my country and community in some fashion. Since I will be receiving my background education in foreign policy and its connection with aviation, it only makes sense to get a job in a foreign market. Ideally this would be a market in a hot spot country abroad, or with much international flying that would aid in improving global security structures and combating terrorism. I do not really intend on joining the military; I believe that I would not be able to work to my potential and would not be using my natural ability to learn and think on the fly. There are many agencies (DEA, FBI, Department of Defense, State Department) within the United States Government that have large aviation branches operating in many of these conflicted nations. Our country, now more than ever, needs intelligent people who can soundly reason in a fast paced environment and who are knowledgeable about the problems and regions they are facing, and I believe that with my BDIC education I will fit into this role perfectly.

 Experiential Background

While my list of foreign policy experience is fairly short, I do have quite a bit of previous aviation and leadership experience. At the current moment I am an FAA certified Commercial Pilot for single engine airplanes with an instrument rating ( I am allowed to fly in poor weather). I have flown all around New England as well as much of the Midwest including Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan. My current total flight time count is upwards of 260 hours; enough to apply to some regional airlines. For as long as I can remember I have been immersing myself in aviation and trying to learn as much as I can. I like to think I am very knowledgeable on numerous topics in aviation and possess a large amount of knowledge for my age. I also was an intern for Marquis Jet Partners in Boston, MA for the past two years. I assisted in making numerous company calls regarding the sale of fractional time in private jets as well as basic office maintenance and completing my boss’ expense reports. On the foreign policy side, my experience is limited to three main points. This past year I studied with Professor Dwayne Woods at Purdue University on the subject of international relations between rich and poor nations. A few years ago I also attended the National Student Leadership Conference on Intelligence and National Security at American University in Washington D.C. When I was 14 I also accompanied my father on business to Tokyo where we were invited to a function at the U.S. Embassy where I met Ambassador Howard Baker in the very room where the Japanese surrendered to the United States in World War II. All of this really got me interested in foreign developments and intelligence reporting.

Methods and Procedures

My BDIC concentration focusing on Aviation and Foreign Policy will draw primarily from the three departments of History, Legal Studies, and Political Science, however it will encompass additional courses from many other departments (although classes from additional departments will be in addition to my BDIC curriculum and will not be a part of my core curriculum). Since there is no Aviation Department here at the University of Massachusetts, Independent Studies will play an integral role in my degree quest. Since I am studying the effect aviation has on foreign policy, I will focus my studies on certain “hot spot” regions throughout the globe where conflicts, both internal and external, and life in general, have been affected by air operations.

The courses I have selected from the History department will give me the background information necessary to fully understand the issues I am dismantling in my other classes. In effect, they will be adding a whole new “dimension” to the study of politics and law in the host country. One cannot possibly understand what course of action to take on a particular subject until one knows the history of the situation and what has happened in the past. It is my hopes that by studying history I will be able to incorporate it in my policy-making decisions, which is a process I hope many current policy makers utilize.

The classes I have selected from the Legal Studies department focus a lot on international legal issues. In order to successfully operate in another country one must understand the laws of that country. One thing many Americans take for granted is the rights that we possess as citizens and the legal freedom we are afforded; in many other countries this is but a dream for the population. If a foreign policy is going to be helpful, it must take into account the laws of the host country and not just demand the same legal amenities as in the United States.

The third department I am drawing from – Political Science- is without a doubt pertinent to the study of Foreign Policy. I have picked out numerous classes detailing the various international organizations and systems that are instruments of foreign policy and govern the world system. I have also selected some courses detailing the government and politics of specific areas. Through the study of the international system and various regions, I will gain knowledge of how policy is administered and its effects, as well as causes.

The greatest advantage to pulling classes from these three departments is that it will allow me to evaluate things on a macro scale; I will easily be able to see how smaller events fit into the big picture. Many of the problems in society today are caused by decisions being made from a narrow view and not thinking ahead, we need thinkers who can contemplate in terms of the entire picture and not just one small section. In order to tie Aviation into the equation I will be doing two independent studies; in the first I will obtain my FAA Certified Flight Instructors Rating and in the other I will be obtaining my Commercial Pilot Multi-Engine Land Certificate. Although these are the only two I will receive credit for, I will also be obtaining my Instrument Flight Instructor and Multi Engine Flight Instructor ratings. In receiving these ratings I will gain a greater knowledge as to how modern transportation systems work, their flaws, and limitations, thus allowing me to see how they can impact events on a global scale. When I receive my Certified Flight Instructor certificate I will also be able to train people for their pilot certificate and in doing so build precious experience that will help me meet the minimum requirements to get hired by an airline or aviation contractor. These independent studies are incredibly important as they really let me pursue my passion of flying and let me connect it as schoolwork. While many people may see flying as all fun and games, it really isn’t, it is truly a lot of work. I am constantly reading and striving to learn more about aviation in the hopes that it will make me a more proficient and safer pilot. I am also constantly quizzing myself to stay sharp and reviewing what I have already learned. I feel that this is something that is easily as difficult (if not more difficult) as any class I have taken and that it is a core part of my curriculum that I should receive credit for. Obtaining these ratings is no small responsibility and something that the FAA entrusts me to do.

I hope to do an internship in an area that unites Aviation and Foreign Policy in either a government or private sector corporation. The internship would give me valuable practical experience in the industry I hope to venture into upon graduation. It would allow me to network with people already in the industry and hopefully build a positive reputation for myself. The internship would allow me to see various sectors of the Aviation industry where I could apply my foreign policy knowledge and help me decide where exactly I want to end up following graduation. I also hope that the internship will lead to an job interview after graduation. The Aviation industry is notorious for its “who you know” nature, thus, I feel an internship would allow me to meet people who could help me secure a job in aviation even when there is virtually no publicized hiring (like the industry stands now). I would also like to relocate for the internship so I can get another valuable perspective on life. While these are two very different areas of study that will take a lot of self initiative to connect and understand how they work in tandem, I believe by studying these I will be an extremely competitive job applicant upon graduation. More importantly, I am positive I will be ready to make a difference, make my mark on the world.

Sponsor Choice

Aviation and Foreign Policy is a very specialized and individual program of study, as such, it is of utmost importance to have someone as a mentor that can relate to both fields. However, it is also essential that since the majority of my study of Aviation is from Independent Studies that I have a Sponsor that is very familiar with Aviation. As such, I have chosen a man who not only possesses a brilliant mind that has lead him to be a leader within his industry, but a man who shares my love for flight: Jon McGowan.

Professor McGowan is a professor within the College of Engineering specializing in Wind and Hybrid Power. He has served as principal investigator on three state and national wind energy feasibility studies as well as taught numerous advanced wind power and solar energy courses. Professor McGowan has done numerous studies for government agencies such as the Department of Energy and served as a technical consultant for ABB Combustion Engineering Power Systems in Windsor, CT for the past 25 years. Most recently Professor McGowan has done work in the Renewable Energy Research Laboratory here at UMass. The education background of Professor McGowan includes a Bachelor and a Doctorate from Carnegie Institute of Technology and a Masters from Stanford. Professor McGowan is the Maintenance Officer of the Collegiate Flying Club, a seasoned Pioneer Valley aviator, and currently owns two of his own planes.

While Professor McGowan’s background is primarily in engineering and alternative powers, he is an incredible source of aviation knowledge. In the aviation world there is no substitute for experience and Professor McGowan has a wide range of this ever important experience. His exposure to aviation and the Industry as a whole will allow him to give me guidance that will be worth its weight in gold. A sponsor who is knowledgeable in aviation will help me draw the connections with modern foreign policy around the globe. I will receive a great amount of guidance on the subject of foreign policy from the numerous professors I will have in the Political Science, Legal Studies, and History departments, it is Professor McGowan that will guide me in my aviation studies and help me tie it all together. Professor McGowan will be the one to help me address the problem of how aviation applies to modern foreign policy and the role it plays in numerous global conflicts.

Comments

[BDIC]

This is a nice bdic concentration because it combines hands-on learning (flying) with academics.